Facing Challenges Head On

My first year of camp I knew I would have to face my fear of falling. You see, I am not afraid of heights, I am just afraid of falling from those heights. As long as I know that I am 100 percent safe from plummeting to the ground, I am okay. I determined, though, that when I arrived at AYC, I was not going to let anything stop me from overcoming this apprehension.

I first came to have a fear of falling when I was little. I would dream that I was climbing a tall ladder and then fall off. It would seem as if gravity were literally pulling me downward through my bed. I remember always waking up and feeling terrified because it felt so real. Soon after, I outgrew the dreams, but the fear stuck.

My feeling of nervousness before going on the high ropes course was definite. My hands were sweaty and my heart beat so fast I thought everyone could hear it. I wanted to change my mind and watch all of the others do the high ropes instead, but I knew that was not an option. I kept trying to have people go in front of me, but that only worked for a while. Soon, it was my turn to do one of the obstacles. They strapped me into a harness so that I would not get hurt if I fell.

But I knew I could not let my fear overcome me—I needed to overcome it. Even with the harness on, I was terrified that my footing would slip or the rope would break. Standing high above the ground, I heard other campers cheer me on and call my name, which caused me to look below me. Glancing down gave me a rush. I have been in high places before, but this was different.

While I dreaded being up high, I had soon accomplished the challenge. I was so relieved. Everyone congratulated me and I felt great! I even wanted to do it again, yet there was not enough time.

Through this experience I learned that once you reach your goals and face your fears, you will feel rejuvenated and relieved. At first, I was so afraid. I just wanted to go back to the cabins and curl up in bed—that is how bad it was! But in the end, I realized how important it was to not turn back, to not look away.

I also realized that almost always, after you overcome a fear, you will realize that it was not that bad after all. The most important part is to keep going, never stop, and keep your eyes on the goal.

I am now ready to face any challenge head on!